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Life can feel like it’s moving at a VERY fast pace. Sometimes, it can be exciting and all-encompassing, like you’re riding an energetic wave of creativity and excitement. At other times, it can feel overwhelming and frantic.

Which side of the coin are you currently on?

Do you feel stressed and burnt out trying to keep up? Or do you feel energized, fresh and ready to take on the day?

Hopefully, it is the latter of the two. But, if you do feel overwhelmed with heavy emotions, hang on as there are some fantastic tools and practices you can use to help manage your life.

Today, we will look at the effects of meditation on the mind.

Finding the balance

In western society, finding balance might be laughed at. It’s the last thing on people’s minds.

The minute you find the job you’ve always wanted, your relationships plays up. The minute the kids are back at school, your boss begins to become more of a challenge. Whatever it is you’re dealing with, life can feel like it’s either making you or breaking you.

Some people in life face challenges in a negative way. They whine and complain constantly about how difficult their lives are.

I was guilty of this around six or seven years ago. I was never content and I was extremely burnt out and fed up. Not only did I drive myself mad, but it began to rub off on others, too. Luckily, I found a path out and a skill set to move forward in life in a way I never knew was possible.

There are also people who had challenges, suffered the initial setback but were able to be more resilient and optimistic in overcoming life’s obstacles. They mastered the tools and skills that helped them to take on challenges in a far more productive way.

The effects of meditation on the mind

I always thought that you were either born with thick skin or you weren’t. But, as I make my way through life, I’ve realized that training your mind is simply a skill.

Like any skill we develop, it takes time, dedication and a big reason to start training in the first place. What if we viewed the mind like we do our health, the food we eat, brushing our teeth or taking a shower? I know if I didn’t shower for a week, I would feel awful and the people around me would stay clear!

One of the most effective ways to look after your mind’s health is through meditation.

Removing the stereotype

The word ‘meditation’ comes with quite a bit of religious and spiritual connotations. Just saying the word can make you think about monks in robes, candles, and gongs.

If you want to know the profound effects of meditation on the mind, it’s time to remove those connotations and just take it as it is.

Through scientific research, we know how much meditation has to offer and it’s becoming increasingly popular with large businesses. Google, professional athletes, celebrities and health organizations are just some of the institutions that are valuing meditation more than ever. It’s a phenomenal tool to help you look after the health of your mind.

Meditation is simply health for your mind! It’s that simple.

If you go to the gym and do a workout, you treat that as health for your body. We can view meditation in exactly the same way — a way to a healthier, happier mind.

The TV and the table

Imagine you are sat at home in your living room while watching the TV. In this metaphor, the TV represents your thoughts and feelings while the TV remote is the device you use to manage them.

Now, consider watching TV as watching your mind. This is one of the fundamental foundations of meditation. It’s your ability to watch your mind without any judgment. So, imagine you’re sitting watching the TV and scenes of anger, worry, judgment, desire and others arise. You simply stay rooted on the sofa and watch. This is known as ‘awareness’ and is something you should be skilled at.

Now, you have a remote with you, although there is a caveat. On the remote, you only have a volume switch which means that the channels can’t be changed. With meditation and time, you’ll learn how to slowly but surely turn the volume down and sit comfortably with whatever comes into your mind.

On the other side of the room, there is a table. Once you can skilfully sit and view the mind without getting lost in its stories, you can then turn the mind’s volume down and move to the table.

The table can be viewed as all the choices you have in your life. This can be your value systems, visions or things you are grateful for. It is your outlook on life and your ability to create the life you desire.

With the TV being a little bit quieter, it’s a lot easier to set a vision and create the life you want. If the TV is extremely loud, it’ll be very difficult to create the vision you desire.

Conclusion

We have all been there — absorbed in watching the TV at home. There are many times we can get lost in our thoughts and feelings.

Whether you feel extremely angry or overwhelmed with worry, meditation provides you with a skill that can help you become more aware of your mind. It provides a way to manage your thoughts, good or bad, far more effectively.

Step into your greatness today and see for yourself the effects of meditation on the mind.

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